Some interesting things going on with the downtown Lancaster redevelopment, and is close to the metro station ... still a fairly rough area but may be some serious upside if you can wait it out and handle it in the meantime.

If your looking for quick and easy living, including stores and commuting to JC or NYC (without buses), then stick to any of the light rail station stops on the east side. 

One property is walking distance (15min.) to metro station and shopping center but has average schools (Elementary rating: 6, Middle: 9, High: 7).  

....keep in mind I am military stationed overseas right now!

There's a reason the area's population has grown 60% since the War on Terror began just 15 years ago.That said, do plan on higher turnover due to PCS stations often lasting a mere 3 - 5 years, deployments and the like.

They are not having to pay higher rents for the anchor tenant like in a mall and get better visibility and more frequent traffic from rooftops.20 to 25 years ago we went to the mall as maybe a gas station and one supermarket existed where we live.

Are you sleeping at Grey Hound bus station every night?

I figured since I moved to College Station, TX, I would step onto the scene online once again.

Talk to other people at the gas station when you're filling up.

Were going to purchase single family for ourselves and live in it while I’m stationed there for 6-8 months.